They’re the famed underdogs!
Jamaica’s bobsled team has qualified for the Olympics for the first time in over two decades, Sports Illustrated reports.
The Jamaican bobsled team first hit the scene in the 1998 Winter Olympics, their story warming the hearts of America and being immortalized by Disney in their 1993 film Cool Runnings. Not only had the four bobsledders never ridden a sled before they began training, they rose to the highest of competitive levels, finishing 30th in the two-man Olympic event and crashing in the four-man event, going on to serve as an inspiration for athletes to come after walking their sled to the finish line.
The last time the country’s team qualified for the Olympics was more than 20 years ago in 1998, and now they’re back again, Jamaica’s bobsledding team recently qualifying for the 2022 Beijing Olympics this February. This time, the country will send three different teams to compete for the first time ever – qualifying in the men’s four, two-man teams and the women’s monobob.
BREAKING:
JAMAICA, WE HAVE A BOBSLED TEAM HEADING TO BEIJING!
advertisementIt will be fire on ice as #TeamJamaica secured their spot at the 2022 Beijing #WinterOlympics. This will be the 1st time JAM has qualified in 3 Olympic bobsled events: four-man, two-man and women’s monobob pic.twitter.com/hRd5h7lDlG
— Team Jamaica (@TeamJA876) January 17, 2022
The underdogs are sure to be a crowd favorite this year with the best ever finish for a Jamaican bobsled team being 14th. From 1988 to 2002, Jamaica had at least one men’s team qualify for each Olympics, going on a decade + hiatus before returning again in 2014. In 2018, a women’s team repping Jamaica qualified for the Olympics in South Korea.
Now they’re primed again for competition and who knows…maybe we’ll get a Cool Runnings sequel!
Congratulations, Jamaica!
Photo Courtesy of Jamaica Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation